Portland coach Caleb Porter wasn't happy with the performances of some players and strongly hinted that he'll make changes in the starting 11 when the Timbers play at Vancouver Saturday night at BC Place.

With nine games remaining in the regular season, the Timbers have another opportunity to better position themselves for a playoff berth. They had one last week and were embarrassed by Seattle. That loss caused Porter to decide if he wants to roll with the same starters against the Whitecaps.

"If there are performances that aren't what you want, then perhaps you might look to make changes," Porter said. "We're in a position where maybe we've got a decision (to make) in a few spots. Just like we make a decision to put guys in, there's going to be some times where guys are going to be out."

Portland (7-8-10, 31 points) currently sits in sixth place in the Western Conference, trailing fifth-place Vancouver (7-5-12, 33 points) by just two points. A win against Vancouver would propel the Timbers past the Whitecaps and into sole possession of fifth place, with the top-five teams earning a playoff berth.

"We're getting to that point where we're either going to get it done or not ," Porter said.

Porter said whatever hangover effect from the devastating loss to the Sounders evaporated during the week of training. The coach had the players simply play against each other during Wednesday's training session, the team's first since the Seattle game. Porter said the session provided a cathartic effect for the team.

The mental healing process has been expedited by the schedule. The Timbers are facing another Cascadia rival, with the winner gaining the inside track in the race for a playoff berth. The stakes are more than enough to push the players to look forward, not backward.

Porter has to do a little of both and doesn't want another chance to rise above the red (playoff) line to slip through the Timbers fingers. That's why a slightly different starting 11 is likely to take the field against the Whitecaps.

"I don't think you'll see five-six changes. You might see a couple," Porter said. "I think there's some guys that have earned to right to start that didn't start."

Porter wouldn't divulge the players who didn't meet his standards against the Sounders or the ones who have earned a "right to start." He also cited unnamed players who performed well in the Timbers win against Alpha United in a Champions League game Aug. 19.

One player Porter did single out from the game in Guyana was outside back Alvas Powell. Powell scored a goal in the 4-1 win and the 20-year-old may see action.

"He's made good progress," Porter said. "We didn't feel like it would be smart to send him back (on loan) because he's a guy we're going to perhaps use."

Another player who helped himself was forward Fanendo Adi, who scored two goals in the game after coming off the bench against the Sounders. He also scored a goal against Alpha United. The goals ended a nine-game scoring drought for Adi.

"As a player, you just have to keep training hard," Adi said. "What you do in training is (how) you play in a match situation."

Even if Porter was planning to use the same starters against Vancouver, he would not have been able to do so. Center back Norberto Paparatto is not available for the game after he received a one-game suspension for throwing an elbow to the head of Seattle center back Chad Marshall during the Timbers 4-2 loss.

Pa Modou Kah is expected to take Paparatto's spot at center back. Kah has been on the bench - but did not play - in the past three MLS games after missing the previous five MLS games with tendonitis in his Achilles heels. He did play the entire game against Alpha United.

Whoever plays had better better perform, because a poor performance in such an important game could result in not dressing for the Timbers home game against San Jose Sept. 7.

"You just have to be tuned in 100 percent, regardless if you're starting or coming off the bench," midfielder Rodney Wallace said.

Making lineup changes out of necessity at this point of the season represents an unwanted development for Porter. Like any coach, Porter would prefer to field roughly the same starting 11 for each game, making changes based on tactics, strategy and the opponent.

"Usually you're doing that when you've got positive performances and results, game in, game out. We haven't necessarily had that," Porter said. "When you're losing, you don't just change to change, but often times there's a reason that you didn't win and you might need to change."